Horrible calf cramps

I'm not taking a multi but am taking the natural progesterone creme and magnesium. Last night, I awakened in the middle night, wound up stretching and my calves in both legs tightened up so bad with cramps I jumped out of bed and just started walking. This morning, they are so soar. Are these charlie horses or am I lacking a vitamin?

The following user gives a hug of support to ainfante:
fena (03-31-2011)

It sounds like charlie horses. I get them all the time. I asked my dr about them and he said that women are prone to them. I thought it was from my large uterus. lol. Hope you don't hurt too much... caryn

I'm not taking a multi but am taking the natural progesterone creme and magnesium. Last night, I awakened in the middle night, wound up stretching and my calves in both legs tightened up so bad with cramps I jumped out of bed and just started walking. This morning, they are so soar. Are these charlie horses or am I lacking a vitamin?

I'm thinking, given your current status as perimenopausal, you probably ARE lacking some minerals/vitamins. Here's some info I found:

Quote:

1. Without magnesium, calcium is not absorbed in our bones and can lead to clogged arteries, arthritis and heart disease and the formation of kidney stones. Magnesium helps carry calcium into the bones, and it allows muscles to relax, after calcium causes them to contract.

3. EXCESSIVE amounts of calcium can lead to muscle cramping, heart palpitations, irritability, heart disease, fibromyalgia and some PMS symptoms. This is why its important to take the amount of calcium YOUR body needs. We get alot of calcium from the foods we eat.

4. Many diseases could be avoided if calcium consumption was reduced.
The highest amount of calcium anyone should take at one time for good absorption is just 500mg. unless you're already eating alot of foods high in calcium like whole grains and green leafy vegetables (then you probably do not need calcium supplements).

5. Even Vegans can get plenty of calcium if they eat a healthy diet.

6. A study showed that women who took HIGH amounts of both vitamin C and calcium had the highest number of hip fractures!

7. All of your muscles contain, and need, more magnesium than calcium.

8. Magnesium is a natural, safe calcium-channel blocker, protecting you against heart disease. It also helps to reduce stress by having a calming effect.

9. Magnesium helps "turn on" hundreds of enzymes. These enzymes allow the carbohydrates (starches and sugars) and fats in your diet to be used as energy. So getting enought mag. is important in fighting fatigue.

10. If you crave chocolate, have an excessive sensitivity to loud noises or pain, are depressed, contipated or have trouble sleeping you probably need more magnesium.

11. Thomas Steinmetz found that magnesium deficiency was the cause of death from sudden heart attacks in 8 million people between 1940 and 1994!

12. In suspected heart attack situation, Emergency room doctors are now giving intravenous magnesium to people who have heart attacks or heart spasms because it helps reduce mortality.

13. It is possible that fibromyalgia is a result of a deficiency of both magnesium and malic acid.

And this info:

Quote:

extra calcium is usually the solution for muscle spasms or muscle cramps in many nocturnal cases. The extra requirements for calcium may be a result of high protein or phosphate levels (kidney disease, poor diet), hormonal diseases or imbalances, nutritional imbalances (high Mg/Ca ratio, low pantothenic acid), celiac disease or other intestinal conditions that interfere with calcium absorption, prescribed medications that promote calcium loss, random self-supplementation of the wrong vitamins and minerals, and others. (see also Acu-Cell Nutrition "Calcium & Magnesium").

When high calcium is suspected [as causal agent of muscle cramps] but no resources are available to measure cellular calcium levels (serum calcium cannot be used for that purpose), an acidifying approach may be tried such as taking a very large amount of Vitamin C for a few days.

If the muscle spasms or cramps get worse, then at least one can assume that calcium was likely on the low side, and one needs to increase its dietary intake, and/or use calcium supplementation.

If on the other hand the muscle cramps or spasms improve, then calcium is likely too high and requires co-factors to make it more bioavailable by supplementing either magnesium, or a phosphorus source such as lecithin, a higher daily intake of Vitamin C, or one could increase one's protein intake as
another option.

Some additional potassium and B-12 might help (but these are more for muscle weakness than muscle spasm). I'm betting it's a magnesium/calcium imbalance. Try the suggestins mentioned in the last quote and see if you have relief.

I recommend that you find a high quality multivitamin, too. (It's a good health strategy, especially at this time of life.) Hope you feel better soon!

best wishes,

charli
203/146/146 on the Fat Flush Plan for life
50, menopausal and perky. Veddy veddy perky!

PS. One last thing, many times charley-horses are caused by dehydration. Make sure you are drinking at least 64 oz of water per day.

I'm thinking, given your current status as perimenopausal, you probably ARE lacking some minerals/vitamins. Here's some info I found: And this info: Some additional potassium and B-12 might help (but these are more for muscle weakness than muscle spasm). I'm betting it's a magnesium/calcium imbalance. Try the suggestins mentioned in the last quote and see if you have relief.

I recommend that you find a high quality multivitamin, too. (It's a good health strategy, especially at this time of life.) Hope you feel better soon!

best wishes,

charli
203/146/146 on the Fat Flush Plan for life
50, menopausal and perky. Veddy veddy perky!

PS. One last thing, many times charley-horses are caused by dehydration. Make sure you are drinking at least 64 oz of water per day.

Hi Charli. Do you work these boards? You seem to be very knowledgeable. Well, after that incident last night, I went out and bought Centrum Advanced formula and just took one. Hopefully, it won't make me queezy like most vitamins do. And with perimenopause, spotting--that's an easy thing to accomplish these days. I want to thank you so much. I will try the multi and stay with the magnesium and see how it goes. I unfortunately, have anxiety with my perimenopause and spotting every 3-4 days. Waiting for Doctor to get back in (Tuesday) to see what he's going to do with the cysts on my ovaries, the hydrosalpinx. I swear, it feels as though my ovaries and sometimes vagina are burning.